Stupid Computer

Well, I had the money to get the BJD I had wanted for  a while and I was about to order it, then  I got a "blue screen of death" from my computer. I really really dislike these things but they are necessary tools. SO it looks like instead of the cute little elf I had planed to by (that will surely be sold out before I have any chance of getting the money for it again), I will be putting the $300 towards a new computer. Not a happy way to end the year!

Trash to Treasure

I thought I would show off the nice little oil lamp I found at our local "Antique Mall". This is not a valuable antique, it cost me like $3. If you look at the top clear green area on the shade area, that is what color the whole shade was. I used a Sharpie marker for the black "leading" and suncatcher paint for the color parts. The bottom/body of the lamp was clear glass, I used an all purpose brushed bronze paint to make it look like a metal lamp. This is 5 inches high by about 2 1/2 at the broadest part of the shade. This is one of my treasures collected and used in the rooms I have for my BJDs.

Hi From the Boys

Today I was able to get 2 of my BJDs restrung...that means they had to be taken apart completely and re-put together. Thankfully a nice young lady was willing and able to do this for me.
This is Trevi (the little one, who did not need restrung), Ian (the redhead, who was to tight) and Aidan (the blond who was to floppy)!  Aidan also got the spiffy new outfit he is wearing and the great new boots seen here also. They are standing in front of the fireplace  I built (and shelves I bought). I am so happy to have them now posable!!

Cat Boy Commission, Now With Wings

This is the next shot of the cat boy commission I am doing. Originally the boy this is for and off wanted a cape but realized that would not look that good so asked if I could give him eagle wings. So here it is with wings and once the background gets done there will be final touches and it will be done. 

Dr. Who Fan Boy Moment

I forgot to post this back on Thanksgiving weekend. At the convention I was at I got to hold one of the pieces of the actual Key to Time! For those long time Dr. Who fans who know more than just the past 3, you know what that is. To those new fans, during the Tom Baker era, there was a story arc called the Key to Time and it had several parts (the actual key was a Crystal puzzle, made of Lucite or acrylic or some other transparent plastic.) At Darkover this past Thanksgiving weekend one of the people there had in her possession one of the actual parts to that puzzle and I got to hold it! One of my few "squwee" moments...it was just cool.
More than 20 years ago I did get to pet the real K9 and operate the TARDIS controls! The Maryland Science Center had a Dr. Who exhibit  and I was a volunteer who got to actually take people through the exhibit, run the TARDIS controls and like I say, pet the real K9 etc. It was very cool back before Dr. Who was so huge here. 

Homade Gifts

I made this for my husband as a Christmas gift, well it is for his BJD Dustfinger. It is a miniature but not exactly small (I already wrapped it so will have to give measurements at a later time). This is painted plywood, Acrylic and metallic paint and cloth covered foam seat. 49

Christmas Myth

Do you know any adult that believes in Santa Claus? I mean not as an idea, but as a real living person who delivers toys to good boys and girls on Christmas eve. Of course you don't! We all grow out of that belief, even if we will always love and promote the idea of Santa. He stands for good and happy things and we need that in the world. But, Santa is a myth.

So why do people. otherwise intelligent adults still believe in "Jesus" and his amazing, mythical life and death? Yes, the idea of Jesus is a good one, the idea that some god came down and died to save us. But come on, we supposedly believe that he was "born of a virgin", which now we take to mean his mother never had sex...but the word virgin did not mean that at the time of the Bible. Virgin only means young woman, it has nothing to do with her sexual activities, only that she is young and female. We are supposed to believe that the birth of the "Christ Child" changed the world...how? Other than switching the titles of those in control, nothing much has changed. He was supposed to be the "Prince of Peace" and bring "good will to all men", but I see none of that in the world. If he is an all powerful God and was supposed to bring the world peace, he failed! There is no more (or less) peace on this planet now than before his reported birth. His death was also supposed to change things...again, no evidence of this exists. You can say "But I have a personal relationship with him and feel saved", well, good for you. But that is not proof of anything but your feelings/beliefs! At one time millions of people believed in Ra and the Egyptian Gods, that lasted for many more thousands of years than Christianity has but it is not proof of anything.   

You may say that it is a unique and uplifting story that millions believe...again, not really. Everything found in the Christmas story and overall story of Jesus was done before. There are many son's of Gods or Gods who have supposedly been "born of a virgin", had come to earth to "save" everyone who believed in them. Many died and came back and overall, nothing is new or unique about the Jesus story.

Christianity is a mix of Jewish ideas, Greek and Roman Mythology and modern propaganda. I was a Christian for the vast majority of my life, I was a strong believer. I studied for the ministry and know much about what the Bible says and why. But in the end, I have come to understand that it is a Myth! The message of Jesus is a positive one (even if 90% of his so called followers don't actually do anything he said to do). But in the end, to believe in Jesus and the whole Christmas/Christian myth, is as unrealistic as still believing in Santa!

Listen Close, Happy Holidays!

http://videos.komando.com/watch/4567/kims-christmas-music-not-your-typical-christmas-song

Demon Fan Art

This is a bit of fan art, sort of...I did it as a possible Christmas gift for a friend. She is very particular (and so am I so I understand) and may not love it, if she does, it is her's, if she doesn't, it will be for sale. (She liked it but did not want it).
This is from the Anime series, InuYasha, it is his half brother Sesshomaru, my friend and my favorite character from the series.
I tried to do it in a somewhat Japanese print style. The kanji says "Demon Lover" it is 7 x 17 1/2, Acrylic, Micron marker and Pro White on Canson board. Original and prints for sale. Picture 50.

Cat Boy Commission Continues

Here is another step in the commission I am currently working on. I still have background and wings to paint and details to finish up.

Gay Marraige in New Mexico

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2013/12/19/3090581/mexico-supreme-court-marriage-equality-state-law/#

Gay Sex Banned in India?

So, it seems India has made gay sex and there fore being gay illegal. Funny how this never made the news until the Indian woman got arrested here and they made a fuss about it.

How can such an old and huge country ban homosexuality? I can not understand the stupidity of some people!

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/12/the-dubious-arguments-for-indias-gay-sex-ban.html

Perfect Doll Bad Timing

http://www.dollclans.com/shop/step1.php?number=1

This doll has almost the perfect face to be my vampyre character Valentene, he needs pointed ears but otherwise he is SO close! But he is only available till the 22 of Dec. and there is NO way I can have that kind of money in time...ah well.

Just look at his features and this drawing of Valentene;

His World Finally Ended

I bet he didn't predict that!

http://counterlightsrantsandblather1.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-world-didnt-end.html

Gift From My Son

He is in jail and we have some real problems between us, but he just sent me two drawing he did. I had just told my grandson's grandmother how a drawing from his son would be a great gift for my son in jail and he sends me two drawings he did. They mean more to me than any store bought gift. I am calling this one "Black Knight", he did it with an ink pen on lined writing paper (I did my best to clean it up and remove the lines). It is about 5 1/2 x 10 1/2.  The other is a hand with an eye in the palm, also ink pen on scrap paper (not lined and not cleaned up) roughly 8 1/2 x 11. Both are copyright Joe Gravelle.

Cutie in a Hat

Here is my cute little BJD Trevi in the Steampunk hat I made.

Cat Boy Commission

I was commissioned at Pennsic to do a portrait of a boy who is 7 (I think), I took pictures to work from and got his input of what he wanted. He wanted to be a cat boy, Cheetah specifically, with Eagle wings. This is the WIP for it so far.

More Tiny Steampunk

This is my second doll hat in a Steampunk style. This first the Larger adult dolls. It is about 5 1/2 long, 4 1/2 wide and 2 1/2 high, it is a felt hat with leather band, metal gears and Acrylic jewel and Cherries decoration, with flocked acanthus. It has hand painted bronze details. "Steampunk Cherries hat" front side and back side views. For sale! 48

Tiny Steampunk

This is my first foray into the Steampunk fashion field. It is a small black felt hat that I bought and then decorated. This fits the Fairyland LittleFee BJD and the MSD size BJDs (the size of my Ian and Aidan). I am very happy with how it came out and may make more to sell is any doll owners would like one. I have the next larger size that fits the adult size dolls and will post it once I decorate it. This is 4 1/2 long, 4 wide and 2 high. 47

This Years Holiday Cards

I have done 2 designs for our Holiday cards for several years now. This year I used art from 2009 and from 2013, the first was designed as a Holiday card but never used until now. The second was done just as a picture but I decided I liked it enough to see how it would work as a Holiday card and it works great I think! So here is "Red Star Angel" and "Winter Flight".

Legal

After 29 years (it will be our 30th year together as of next year) and after one wedding 20 years ago when there was NO legal gay marraige anywhere i this country, Don and I have as of today become legally married! It was a simple, Justice of the Peace ceremony at the courthouse but now we are legally recognised by the State of Maryland and the Federal Government as a married couple!

The End of Darkover

Well this weekend was the very last Darkover Con, after 36 years of doing a convention based on and for fans of Marrion Zimmer Bradley's, Darkover novels, it has come to an end. The reason for the end was that the woman who started and ran this con for 35 of those years died early this year and so we had one last hurrah. Next year, there will be a new con that will be more general SciFi and Fantasy. more eclectic.

But this last Darkover was good, not huge but well attended and while the art show was small, I did better than I have in many years at this con. So it was good for me as a last Darkover art show. I sold at least 10 pieces and while most went for minimum bid, I still did well and I will miss Darkover. I have been to about 30 of the 36 and it will seem odd next Thanksgiving weekend to not be going to Darkover...the new con will be the same dates, so I hope it goes well and I will begin to look forward to going to it each year.

Anyway, the last Darkover con ha come and gone and it was good.

My Kind of Religious Music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCyod8ziZpo&feature=youtu.be

My New Boy

Finally I was able to get hair and eyes for my new BJD. He needs clothing that suits him (camo is not his thing but is the only shirt I had for him at the time.) He is from Aileen Dolls and is 17 inches tall and I think very cute, his name is Aidan.

I Don't like Rap..BUT...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mPd_SDAryQ

This is a good song and the non rapping singer has a great voice!

I'm the 8th Dr??

I just took the Dr Who Personality Quiz: Which Doctor Are You? http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2013/11/personality-quiz-doctor/
And it said;
Your result: Congratulations! You're the Eighth Doctor
You're a true romantic, a real believer in the power of people and their collective abilities.
You may have seen some unpleasant things in your time, had to deal with traumatic events, but you've never let them soil the purity of your faith in the basic goodness of humans, and this is written across your face.
It's a hugely attractive feature, and this can sometimes lead you into trouble. but people generally feel better for having spent some time in your presence.  

This is the Dr I know the least about (since he had one movie), I herd he has some radio stories or books that fill out his time as the Dr but I don't know anything about them. Interesting!

Finally Some Good Luck

After getting two new BJDs that I am not happy with, I got a third that I am happy with. I would post pictures of him but he has no eyes or hair yet, so I will wait to take a picture and post it till he has those. I think his name will be Aidan and like Ian he needs restrung (to tight in some places and to lose in others) ah well. He is cute and I think he will be a welcome member of my BJD family.

Just One More...

I found another small frame so I had to do just one more small Japanese print inspired picture. "Usagi no suku" (Rabbit scribe),  5 1/2 x 11 1/2, Micron marker, Acrylic, watercolor colored pencil and ProWhite on Canson board. Original SOLD! Prints for sale. Picture 46.

No 2014 Calendar

Well, due to the very poor sales of last years calendar I don't plan to do one for 2014. If People want to encourage me to do one and put in orders for one, I would consider doing one. I really enjoy doing them but while the first year sold very well, the second was a bust :(

Faerie Circle

This did not come out as I planed or expected but  think I like how it looks. Not sure about the title but, "Faerie Fella", 4 1/2 inch circle, Acrylic, watercolor colored pencil and ProWhite on Canson board. Original Sold!  Prints for sale. Picture 45.

Last Small Japanese..maybe

Changing from the anthropomorphic I enjoyed doing this little Japanese boy and his sky friend. "Earth & Sky", 5 x 12, Micron marker, Acrylic, watercolor colored pencil and Pro White on Bristol. Original SOLD! Prints for sale. Picture 44.

And Another

Trying something a little different with the Japanese print style, a bunny. "Usagi Shojo", 4 x 10 1/2, Micron marker, Acrylic, watercolor colored pencil and ProWhite on Canson board. Original SOLD! Prints for sale. Picture 43.

Japanese Continues

Here is yet another small quick Japanese print inspired picture. "Black Wolf", 4 x 11, Micron marker, Acrylic, ProWhite and watercolor colored pencil on Canson board. Original and prints for sale. Picture 42.

Another Little Japanese

I had a small long gold frame and a scrap of Canson board that fit, so here is "The Black Fan", 4 x almost 11, Acrylic, Micron marker, watercolor colored pencil and ProWhite on Canson board. Original SOLD! Prints for sale. Picture 41.

Little Japanese

Here is a quick small Japanese print style picture. "Kitsune Courtesan", 6 x 11 1/2, Micron marker, watercolor colored pencil, Acrylic and Pro White on Canson board. Original and prints for sale. Picture 40.

Old School Finished

Here is the finished full color version of the "Lunar Mage 2", 11 x 16 1/2,  Micron marker, Acrylic and ProWhite on Bristol. Original and prints for sale. Picture 39.

Old school Style

I had several things I wanted to do after finishing the Winter Goddess picture, so I ended up doing this instead. I wanted to do another Japanese print style picture in time for Darkover and I had other small picture ideas I wanted to do before doing the next commission, but again this is what I ended up starting. This is very "old school" style, I have not done a black and white marker picture in a long time. I plan to color this but here is the black and white first step. This is 11 x 16, Micron marker on Bristol. "Lunar Mage 2" prints available.

Stupid Me, Bad Doll Luck

I have had bad luck with my last two dolls, one is a recast (I did not know what it was when I ordered it) and he has some issues. The other is from Ipelhouse and is not the right size, I screwed up and got the KID when I should have gotten the size up. He is just to small and delicate for me. So, if anyone is interested in a trade or might want to buy either of these two boys we can talk. I will sell them for what they cost me or trade for an elf boy or a Fairyland Minifee boy.  The recast (unauthorised copy) is based on a Ipelhouse JID Daniel and I would need at least $200 for him I think he cost closer to $300. The other is an African skin color (light brown) and is a boy with the Bennie head and would be at least $300. I feel like an idiot in both cases and if the last doll I ordered is not something I am happy with, I don't think I will get any more ever!

Tasmanian Tiger??

http://www.whitewolfpack.com/2013/11/scientists-hunt-for-extinct-tasmanian.html

It would be great if this is a true story and they are not extinct!

Winter Goddess Finished?

I still need the final OK from the client, but I think this is now finished. The circles, bubbles are representative of the 4 seasons and the figures "hair" is snow with a wolf and polar bear. "White Goddess, Winter", 15 x 20, Acrylic and ProWhite on Canson board. Prints for sale (when I get better pics). Picture 38.

Winter Goddess Update 2

OK, almost done but still details and tweaking to do on some of it. The colors in this photo are way off in some areas!! The balls/bubbles are red, yellow, blue/green and blue/purple and in this photo they are just not right. I hope when it is done and I get photos in good light it will have the right coloring. Hope the client likes it!

Winter Goddess Update

No picture update since it is in one of those odd transition stages, but it is coming along well. I was not sure about it when I posted the first step but I have tweaked the face and now love it and have started adding the animals I had planed and it now looks great! By the end of the week it could be done or at least be at a stage I can show and updated picture of.

Grandson's Halloween

Well unfortunately I am informed pictures of my grandson's Halloween did not come out so I don't get to see them or show them off! His grandmother did however give me a great quote from 3 year old Logan, to quote him "it is the best Halloween I ever had!" This made me smile, I mean his 3rd one is his best (maybe the only one he remembers).

Ah well, maybe by next Halloween I will get to meet him and things will be better for me. As it is I am just so glad his grandmother keeps me updated and I get the occasional picture of him!

(I found out he went as Batman and I have this picture of him before Halloween. Apparently he has several different super hero costumes but did pick Batman for Halloween).

Still Looking For Replacement Statue

A while back I posted that one of my favorite statues had gotten broken, well I just found the box he came in and thought if I had the name I could find him online someplace...NO! The Statue by Design Toscano (who no longer carries it) was called "Pan of Rohallion" but all my searching finds a different statue by that name that is not even available as a reproduction! :(
If anyone has better google foo than I (that means anyone out there I am sure), you might look at the picture I posted of the broken statue and try and find one I can buy, maybe the name will help in  the search!  

Great Bat Facts for Halloween

http://www.slate.com/blogs/wild_things/2013/10/31/bizarre_bat_behavior_oral_sex_pollinating_tequila_sharing_meals_drinking.html

Samhain Baby

I wanted to do a picture for the holiday, but I am sick and have not felt well for a week. so it ended up more of a quickie and less finished than I had wanted...but oh well! Happy Samhain/Halloween! This is "Little Demon, Ghost Lights", 9 x 13 1/2 Acrylic and Prisma Colors on Canson board. Original and prints for sale. Picture 37.

Happy Samhain

This is my favorite holiday and even though we don't get many if any trick or treaters, I still like to do a little decorating. Here is the day time picture of my floating jack o lanterns and an attempt at a night time picture of them. The flash messes me up some but this is the best I can do. They really do glow well and the floating effect is great at night!

BJD Crown

I decided to see if I can make and sell crowns for BJDs. So this is my first one on my boy Ian. It is made out of velum (think paper thin leather) and is painted with Acrylics and has Acrylic jewels. Ian is a 1/4 size and the crown in 8 inches around. This same size will fit on my smaller boy Trevi as well. I will be doing a larger one for an adult doll size (Don now has one). I am thinking I can make these custom for doll owners. Would anyone be interested (this is for the other BJD owners out there). 36.

Winter Goddess maybe

Well, I have a commission to go with my Spring/Green Goddess picture. I love the idea and have a good idea of what I want to do...BUT! I am not sure I am happy with how it is going, I really dislike starting over on a picture but when it is just not coming out right, I will! The coloring in this picture is off from the original and I can't seem to adjust the photo to get it right, but it still gives you a good idea of what it looks like so far. What does anyone think?  http://vampyre-nmp.blogspot.com/2010/03/spring-fever.html look here to see what I am trying to make it go with. This is FAR from done, but again, the concept is well started.

Not A Christmas Card

I had started this with the idea of making it into one of our cards for this Christmas, but end the end I decided on other works I already had done but had not used as a card yet. This misses the mark of what I was trying to do but has some very interesting concepts that I may revisit later. So this is a a picture I am considering a "study", a preliminary maybe for a different picture using many of the ideas in it. "Angel of Inspiration, study", 8 x 12, Acrylic, watercolor colored pencil , Micron marker and Pro White on Canson board. Original and prints for sale. Picture 35.

BJD Bedroom

Awhile back I posted pictures of the "apartment/doll house" I built for my BJDs. I have been redoing the rooms and this is how the bedroom came out. I still need a better rug than what I have, but overall I am pretty happy with it now, I built the bed and painted the side chest (I still want to add some gold details to it). The quilt was made by my mother in law and my husband made the sheets and pillows and pillow cases. The rest of the items are commercial made things re purposed.

Pin Up Merman

I needed a break before doing the second coronet for Blackstone Mountain and I had an idea for a picture..this is not it. The picture I had in mind didn't come together but this one came to me and I am pretty happy with it. I have always loved Art Nouveau and especially Mucha. This was inspired by his work and of course my own love of mermen and underwater stuff. I am still debating if it is done or if I should add a net and starfish across his upper tail/thigh area. "Nouveau Merman Pin Up", 10 1/2 x 17, Acrylic, ProWhite and Micron marker on Canson board. Original and prints for sale. Picture 34.

More Wisdome form Stonekettle Station

http://www.stonekettle.com/2013/10/the-dark-and-rolling-sea.html

Vampyre Grandson

My grandson's mother's mother sent me several wonderful pictures of him and his friends and family having some pumpkin fun. This one is one of my favorites, it shows that my grandson Logan has some of grandpa Tristan's vampyre traits, just look at the teeth!  :)

Comic Book Rant

I love comic books and the X-Men have been a favorite of mine for a long time. I get all the X books except the Ultimate stuff. Well hey have lost me on one book because of BAD writing, poor storytelling and stupid choices! Uncanny X-Force that has now been rebooted is useless and badly done.
They start with a team that includes many characters who are in all of the other X books but don;t have any consistency of what is happening in the world. 
Why must EVERY storyline be an end of the world scenario? Why does every bloody plot involve some huge apocalyptic evil that only the X-men (or some variation of them) can save us from? Why is there no local bad guy or even personal villain that only effects a few people?
But my main complaint is the complete lack of imagination, they have now revealed that the big bad world ending villain this time is Casandra Nova (who is dead and gone)! She was a very poorly conceived character to start with and to dredge her up for this is just laziness and a waste of MY time to read!!
I will be canceling my subscription to that book!! The lack of tying anything in from one book to the other and the useless rehashing of a villain that should never have been created in the first place is just the last straw!
Trying to contact Marvel about this has been impossible (not that my opinion will matter to them anyway).
Uncanny X-Force, useless!!  

Oatmeal but NO Joke!

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/columbus_day

Blackstone Mountain Coronet

I was commissioned to do a set of coronets for the new Baron and Baroness of Blackstone Mountain. You can look it up on www.SCA.org if you want to know more about that group. This is 23 inches around, Acrylic, artificial stones and pearls on leather. 33.

Seasonal Spirit

While finishing up the cover for Ten Thousand Gods, I started a new picture, just for myself. It did not come out at all like I expected but I still like it. It was somewhat inspired by a sketch by http://www.furaffinity.net/user/savannahhorrocks/ and I got her permission before doing it. "October Spirit", 11 x 15, Acrylic, ProWhite and Micron Marker on Canson board. Original and prints for sale. Picture 32.

Old Fav

I just listened to "Masque" by Kansas, an old favorite of mine and the song "The Pinnacle" reminded me of just how great this group was and how much I loved this and so many other songs by them. It always reminded me of the Elric Saga. Some great lines and I think amazing music, please have a listen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bexLEIiXZo

TTG Cover Done

I think this cover is finished. This is a replacement cover for her first book so that it will match the second and third book covers witch all have my covers. This is "Ten Thousand Gods", 13 x 20, Acrylic and Pro White on Canson board. Prints available. Picture 31.

TTG Cover Progress

As I am redoing the cover for Sally Fink's "Ten Thousand Gods" so all her book covers will have been done by me, here is an update...mostly just background and fine detail work to do after this.

Pasta Boycott

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/barilla-pasta-barons-anti-gay-comment-prompts-boycott-call-8C11269315 Personaly, he is right, people can do what they want, and saying stupid things like "gays can eat some other pasta" should make him lose money because there is NO reason to say such a thing unless you are a bigot! And bigots should not be allowed to do what they want without consequences!

Off Again

Next book cover started. Lots and lots of work yet to do and much details to be worked out, but so far I think it is going well. This is the first black and white study WIP for it...just the face and animal head done but that is the main thing, then onto the clothing/figure work.